LawOrder Svu Essay Example

LawOrder Svu Essay Example LawOrder Svu Essay LawOrder Svu Essay The Role of Science in a media Law and Order: Special Victims Unit Science plays a major role in the story line of NBC’s police-procedural drama, Law amp; Order: Special Victims Unit; more specifically, forensic science. From beginning to end, the characters depend on the use and their understanding of forensic science to uncover the mysteries of each examined case. The advancements in technology along with the psychological approach used by detectives to solve each case make the serious and critical role that science plays more than evident to the audience. Law amp; Order: Special Victims Unit series premiered on the NBC network in the fall of 1999 as the first spin-off of the successful crime drama, Law amp; Order. Law amp; Order: SVU instantly took off and, over time, became the highest rated series of all the Law amp; Order series. SVU was the first of the Law amp; Order franchise to win an Emmy in 2006 along with numerous other nominations and awards. Since then, the series has been recognized as the highest-rated scripted drama of the NBC network to date. The series is centered around a hardworking police unit focused on solving the most complicated of sexually-based crimes. The use of science is heavily relied upon in order to solve the mysteries that come along with these intricate plots, and is most often the determining factor of these cases. As in the same fashion as the other Law amp; Order series, the cases examined by SVU are often â€Å"ripped from the headlines† of real newspapers and are loosely based on real crimes that received media attention. The show follows the detectives of the 16th precinct of the New York Police Department as they go about solving each individual case story. Because the show is based on sexually-charged offenses, many of the scenes are located in or guided off of details and evidence found in the hospitals and medical examiner’s office. The information given by officials in these fields is most significant when the detectives are seeking the facts of these cases. Without the assistance of forensic science and medical evidence to distinguish facts from circumstantial evidence, many of the cases would go unsolved. Thus, the role that science plays in this media cannot to be overlooked. There are two characters that were casted in the show purposefully for their scientific value. Before being officially added to the cast, Medical Examiner, Melinda Warner was just a reoccurring character all throughout the first season. After producers realized the need for the role, Tamara Tunie was cast as Warner in season two. B. D Wong was also hired and was casted as Dr. George Huang, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) forensic psychiatrist and criminal profiler. He was initially a working on loan to the Special Victims Unit, before becoming a permanent character. Using their knowledge of science, these two characters fill in the gaps of the cases that otherwise would be left unknown and/ or misunderstood. The character of Dr. Melinda Warner is relied upon to help detectives find scientific evidence to support their cases. The products of her labor are what end up dictating the outcome of any case. When it comes to cases that the show deals with, in fiction and in real life, the court relies upon the story that only biological evidence can tell. Subtly, this makes Dr. Warner the most important character and factor of the show. What makes her a significant and special character is that she is the one character of the show that can provide strict facts on these cases while the other characters rely on reasoning and critical thinking skills to piece the cases together. All investigations involving a deceased victim begin with a visit to Dr. Warner after she’s had a chance to examine the victim. At the top of each of these episodes, Dr. Warner is found in the lab using equipment and her knowledge of the many different subdivisions of forensic science to create a clearer picture of what may have happened to detectives. Remarkably, Dr. Warner seems to be exceptionally educated in whatever subdivision of forensic science is thrown her way. From forensic anthropology to DNA analysis and even forensic optometry, there seems to be nothing Dr. Warner can’t figure out on her own! The findings that she reports to the lead detectives of the show, Benson and Stabler, lay down the groundwork for how they proceed to build their case. Special Agent George Huang, M. D. is equally a powerful player on the Special Victims Unit team. His vast knowledge of forensic psychology and psychopathology lends him a preternatural ability to understand, empathize with, and predict the actions of suspects as well as victims. (Wikipedia) His extensive knowledge in the fields of theology, ethnic studies, and forensics make him a definite secret weapon when it comes to the battle of solving and even understanding the most complicated and confusing of cases. The insight given by Dr. Huang is incomparable to any other member of the unit in assessing the best ways to deal with those directly involved in the cases, such as the victims, suspects and the perpetrators. Many times, his psychological insight is relied upon to determine the motives and next move of a serial-criminal/offender. With the help of Dr. Huang, detectives are equipped with the necessary underlying information needed to be able to prevent another crime from occurring and even catch a criminal in the act. Detectives of the show also look to Dr. Huang’s scientific expertise in diagnosing mental illnesses and in helping them to deal with victims and/or witnesses who have suffered some kind of psychological trauma but are needed in building the detectives’ cases. The weight of Dr. Huang’s medical opinion is so valuable that he and the detectives often bump heads when he sometimes agrees with the diagnoses of mental illness provided by defense attorneys and their psychiatrists. Because the unit trusts his opinion, it makes it harder for the Assistant District Attorneys who work with the precinct to prosecute criminals. The scientific contributions of both Dr. Melinda Warner and Dr. George Huang are different in nature but both significantly valuable in breaking cases. Dr. Warner’s reliance on lab work establishes her as the bearer of truth while Dr. Huang’s perception of psychopathology is not only respected, but, is trusted just as sacredly. The role of science is apparent throughout the entire backdrop of the series. Perhaps, not as blatantly or consciously as Dr. Melinda Warner and Dr. George Huang, all four of the lead detectives involved in the cases use a scientific approach in breaking cases. Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler use as much forensic psychology as they’re able to each time they meet up with those involved in the crimes being investigated. Sometimes, they don’t seem to reach the same conclusion on the sincerity of those involved and this occasionally results in some internal conflict amongst them. Detectives John Munch and Odafin Tutuola spend majority of their time inside the precinct with the use of real technology in efforts to break cases. Somehow they always manage to get their hand on some breakthrough technological evidence, usually computer based. They use the help they receive from computer specialists and sometimes even hackers to shed light on enigmas of cases needing clarification. Irrefutably, science is used in almost every aspect of Law amp; Order: Special Victims Unit. The writers depict science and the evidence it provides as the authority figure of each episode. Without systematically depicting the use of the characters’ knowledge of technology and forensic science to piece together the cases, there’d be no way that the show could conclude in such a clear and comprehensible way as it has for the past twelve seasons. Green, Susan; Dawn, Randee (2009), Law amp; Order: Special Victims Unit: The Unofficial Companion, Dallas: BenBella Books Bible, Stephanie, Michael Nicastro, and Chris Todd. A Brief Background of Forensic Science. VizProto HOME. Web. lt;http:www. //vizproto. prism. asu. edugt;. Amirall, Jose R. and Kenneth G. Furton. The Evolution, Practice and Future of the Use of Science in the Administration of Justice. Standardization News. Vol. 23, Number 4. April 1995 Law amp; Order: SVU. Wikipedia. Web. lt; wikipedia. org/gt;. Forensic Science. Wikipedia. Web. lt; wikipedia. org/gt;.